[BladeCast] Match Preview - Grand Final | Random Potatoes vs. Apis Europae

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BLADECAST TV: MATCH PREVIEW



RANDOM POTATOES vs. APIS EUROPAE
WHEN THE KINGS MEET THEIR SLAYERS



    »It was a long, harsh, craggy road. The unexpected happened quite a few times and we used the word 'upset' probably more than in any other tournaments. Looking back at it though, this is probably one of the things which made the second edition of the WPL one of most interesting tournament ever hosted on warband. Anyone could believe in victory. Everyone had their position threatened at some point. One mistake could cost you everything.
For Random Potatoes, the tournament started big with their very first match when they went to face Irish Rebels. Rayden and his boys showed everyone that what happened in the WMT was just a simple mistake, a mistake they wouldn't do twice as they won this first encounter against a solid team. It was quite the perfect start for them and their future seemed rather bright. That is until they came to face AE in the third week. Like in the WMT, Random showed a really poor performance at the worst moment possible and AE got away with a very one sided victory, without too much effort. We can see now that this was going to be their only lose in the whole tournament, as nobody else, not even Geese Pack, could manage to take them down. On Apis Europae's side, one could have assumed that after defeating their most serious opponent,  in Random, there was not much left to threaten them. But that would have been a terribly wrong assumption. AE dropped two matches in a row, and more importantly, it was the first time ever a team which isn't part of the best, would win that decisively against them, taking a map without dropping a single round. All it all, it sum ups the whole league. Everyone lost atleast one match, and it was rather impossible to etablish a clear ranking among the top given no team were able to get a long streak of victories, except maybe GP at the beginning, and Random after week 3. The playoffs phase wasn't anything spectacular, both teams taking down their opponents without too much problems. The best is clearly yet to come. «




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RANDOM POTATOES
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TEAM PRESENTATION

Random is anything a warband player ever dreamed of. Confident players, who know their capacities and limits, highly skilled, experienced, led by one of the best tactical minds in the whole community, and hungry for victory. It’s no surprise if they have come this far, as they were expected to do so. What was maybe less expected is the manner they qualified with. Only dropping one match in total against AE, where they clearly didn't show their true face nor full potential. Random took the loss as a warning and they have learned from it. None of Wonwokie, Aequalitas, Irish Rebels, or even Geese Pack were capable of stopping them. Every single time Random needed to show up, they did, and they didn't let a single occasion to their opponent to even think about winning. There is simply a big gap between those guys and the other teams. A gap only AE seemed capable to fill. Some years ago, there was an old legend which said that you couldn't beat AE twice in a row, in the same tournament. KURWA proved this statement was wrong. But does this stand for Random?
On the paper, they have everything to claim so. Their infantry matches AE's without a doubt, and they have a clear advantage in the ranger department. It’s no big surprise they picked Fort of Honour, and I can clearly see them coming out on top of this confrontation. The problem remains Frosthaven. During their match against GeesePack, they clearly were not at their best mainly because they played a three-ranger set-up that  Vaegirs can allow, but that they didn't manage to use like they wished. I doubt Random will make the mistake twice as Swadia and Rhodoks will be played and it would be rather dangerous to try a similar set-up with a crossbow faction. But that's not their main problem. With the trio of cavalry AE can possibly send at them, not being able to take a clear lead on Fort of Honour could pottentialy cost them the match. Sunday, Random Potatoes can enter history, by beating the most successful warband team, once again. You know how it works chaps. Let’s do this, one more time.


APIS EUROPAE
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TEAM PRESENTATION

Once again, they have made it to the finals. A 12th time in as many tournaments entered. Whatever happens tonight, Apis Europae will remain the most successful warband European clan who has ever existed. This match is the occasion to ingrain their clan a bit more within the community history, and remind everyone that there can be only one true King. This said, what's coming at them is probably their toughest challenge in seven years of competition. Random Potatoes gathers the best players of some of their most lethal opponents. KURWA, who defeated them in the WNL3 final. Freelancers, ECS2 Champion to their detriment. And Unity, arguably the most skilled French speaking team of those last two years. Moreover, the old lion is becoming weaker as the days go by. He lost nothing of his pugnacity and stills consider himself as the only true king of the neighboring valleys. But he is starting to get tired, and his enemies are aware of his weakness. This might be his last fight. Kill or be killed, no alternative.
AE have gathered their best warriors, and even called some long-term friends for this battle, and if Random want to take this title, they gonna have to fight for it. Their infantry looks almost identical. Their rangers, and especially LeRoux are going to need to be on their A Day if they want to have a chance making an impact, but if the bees want to win this fight, the difference will be made in the cavalry area. Lead by Peter, AE nearly seems invincible. It’s all about being capable of not letting the situation get out of hand on Fort of Honour, so they can quickly develop their plan on Frosthaven without letting Random catch their breath. It's time AE. Your opponent is worth your steel. One last time. Let’s finish this how it started. Together.



BLADECAST GOLDEN EIGHT

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RAYDEN BlackOut [Kills: 99 - Deaths: 54 - Teamkills : 4 - Played: 9]
Rayden has been playing for years now and he's probably one of, if the not the, turkish player, who has influenced the scene the most. Since KURWA, he placed himself and the teams he led as a rival for AE, always challenging them to play better and pushing his own limits in every match. Rayden is a born winner, and doesn't consider second place as an acceptable result. His capacity to play both rangers classes to almost perfection while he commands his guys in battle gave him this reputation of one of the most dangerous players and leaders in the warband competitive scene.
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BRIAN Gods' Slayer [Kills: 122 - Deaths: 71 - Teamkills : 8 - Played: 9]
First part of the luxembourgish famous duo, Brian has become one of the most dangerous infantry in the scene, and has proven his worth more than enough times. Considered as slightly better than Thorr, his alter-ego and brother, he is definitely is going to be of crucial importance coming into this match. He is also a deadly cavalry when asked to play so, but recently he has been playing infantry, mainly and is one of best players of the whole WPL, kill wise. A key-player, without a doubt, and someone AE is gonna have to lock-up as soon as possible if they want to have a chance.
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RELAX Slava [Kills: 98 - Deaths: 61 - Teamkills : 1 - Played: 8]
Considered by his peers as one of the most skilled cavalry of the whole community, Relax has proven he deserves such a title. He has been their main carry in his own department, and there are not many players capable of suppressing him. His legendary experience leaves no room for mistake, and as long as he is alive on his horse, there is always a chance for Random to bring back the match to their side. He is going to have a hell of time to countain Peter, axL, and Shemaforash but thinking he would fear it would be rather naive. The guy is simply mad.
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PRINCE Chasing Arrow [Kills: 100 - Deaths: 58 - Teamkills : 3 - Played: 9]
Prince is a somewhat quiet personality, not involving himself in too much drama, but his impact on the scene is absolutely indisputable. He showed that he deserved a main spot as ranger in Freelancers, and had some godlike performances, so naturally he took the same place in Random, something which wouldn't be granted for everyone in a team which counts Rayden and Menethil, probably the two best turkish rangers of the scene, and among the top 5 in Europe. But we're speaking about Prince and you just have to see him playing to understand that the guy is simply gifted.
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THORR Head Crusher [Kills: 92 - Deaths: 63 - Teamkills : 4 - Played: 9]
Second part of Random main infantry duo, Thorr had a hard task proving to everyone that he was more than simply Brian's brother. Yet, for people who have played long enough with him, it is clear that he is as good while working with Brian, as he is individually. His playstyle is more risky, rather aggressive, but once he has decided to take you down, there is not much which can be done to stop him. Logically, once he is added with his brother, which he developed an almost flawless connection with, those two become one of the most dangerous threats ever seen in the warband scene.
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MENETHIL Deadly Kick [Kills: 94 - Deaths: 56 - Teamkills : 0 - Played: 8]
Menethil joined the team a bit late for this WPL but since then, he definitely made up for it, and has become an essential part of the Random machine. He recently switched from ranger to infantry but he seems to be as good with both and he contributes a lot to the team cohesion as his skill matches his smartness. Taking him down early in some rounds could be a decisive factor, but that's easier said than done.
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SHINGEN The Stapler [Kills: 57 - Deaths: 43 - Teamkills : 1 - Played: 8]
Probably one of the most underestimated Random players, it's true Shingen is maybe a bit below the level of the other players quoted above. Nonetheless, he proved he was capable of playing at the top, and still performing well. He has made himself irreplaceable on open maps, and on Frosthaven, a lot will come down to his capacity to handle the pressure and deal with the AE's cavalries, which won't give him a second to breath.
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ZOYKA True Champion [Kills: 67 - Deaths: 64 - Teamkills : 9 - Played: 9]
Zoyka is probably one of the most surprising players within Random ranks. Known mostly for his trash talking talents, the russian infantry at least proved he had something to back up his words. He has improved a lot recently and even though his role is to act as an anti-cav, which he does quite decently, he is also a deadly infantry to be put against when the melee comes.

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BLADECAST GOLDEN EIGHT

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AZAN The Tactician [Kills: 45- Deaths: 47 - Teamkills : 2 - Played: 8]
Not many ever realised the enormous impact Azan had over AE's performances throughout the years. Most see him as a talented map or mod-maker, a secondary cavalry for AE if anything. Yet if Deacon is the soul of the clan, Azan definitely is the mind. He learned from match after match how to truly master every single game aspect, and it should be noted that AE's results prove nothing but his genius. His decision to play infantry was taken with surprise but this is part of the internal stuff that probably only themselves are aware of. Not many are capable to understand warband how he does, nor even compete with him. That said, Rayden is one of those few guys, so this final might be as much of a skill battle, as a tactical one..
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SCAR Prussian Immortal [Kills: 46 - Deaths: 37 - Teamkills : 4 - Played: 6]
If I had to describe Scar, it would probably be as a wall, a massive one, which can take anything coming at him but never break down. The german veteran has been partaking in thousands of battles, and here he still stands, waiting for his enemies to come. If Scar's performance wasn't any spectacular those last few matches, he wasn't necessarily in need to step up his game. Yet when his team will need him, he is gonna be one of the most important players on the battlefield. And they're going to need him at his best for this match. Because when he does, he simply delivers. And I bet he would be glad to teach one or two tricks to the random infantries.
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AXL Finnish Flash [Kills: 70 - Deaths: 51 - Teamkills : 1 - Played: 9]
axL has recently started playing for AE after a long period of inactivity, and the least which can be said is that the finnish cavalry didn't lose any of his skill. He seems to be as decisive as he used to be, and has perfectly adapted himself to Shemaforash and Peter's playstyle, the two main cavalries of AE. axL is just the missing piece AE needed to ensure their dominance on open maps, and there is no doubt he will have more than his part to play on Frosthaven.
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CLERIC JOHNSON Notorious Goblin [Kills: 43 - Deaths: 35 - Teamkills : 2 - Played: 8]
Apis Europae also got their pair of talented brothers in the form of Cleric and Deacon. The first one, also known as Notorious Goblin, is one of the vilest creatures which exist on earth. On top of being a late night drinking specialist, Cleric Johnson is also a lethal infantry, something he has had the occasion to prove many times, like in the 3v3 Tournament which he and his sons won a while ago. If some could argue Cleric is a bit rusty when it comes to battle, which is not something totally out of the picture, he is still capable of taking down most of those 'sh** tier players' like he often says. And you don't want to meet him on forums at late night. Some didn't survive it.
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PETER White Flash [Kills: 94 - Deaths: 32 - Teamkills : 1 - Played: 7]
In any competitive community, a question is always on everyone's lips. 'Who is the best player to have ever touched the game?'. It not something which is easy to answer, yet Peter would certainly be one of clearest options. From his amazing performances when he joined the FRA team mid-tournament, to his undeniable contribution within AE ranks, Peter is certainly one, if not the best, cavalry of this community. His impressive statistics in the WPL despite playing two matches less than most just sums up the whole thing. Peter belongs to this special group of people born with talent, and he will need that coming into this match against Random.
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GIBBY Jalebi Jibby [Kills: 62 - Deaths: 42 - Teamkills : 1 - Played: 9]
Gibby is one of the new additions for AE this tournament, and the young man quickly adapted to his new clan, and looks like he got adopted by other AE members aswell. The fact he is one of their best player statistic-wise certainly is a contributing factor, as he has this capacity to turn a whole match around on his own. Going into this final against Random will certainly be a good occasion to make some of his haters shut-it up once and for all.
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DEACON BARRY Supreme Patriarch [Kills: 43 - Deaths: 31 - Teamkills : 2 - Played: 6]
Once more, Deacon Barry is going to have to lead his men to battle, providing them wise words before the eternal confrontation, and making sure every single one of them is ready for the fight. Deacon has proven many times he was more than a capable infantry, and can hold on to his place just as good as the others. He is old, but it would be a deadly mistake to think you could take advantage from this. With age comes wisdomwisom and you don't trap AE's leader that easily. With Scar, Gibby, Azan, and Cleric, those five form a rather impressive infantry core, but will it be enough to contain Random's infantry?
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LEROUX Blessed Shots [Kills: 66 - Deaths: 22 - Teamkills : 1 - Played: 9]
LeRoux isn't really getting the recognition he truly deserves as of late, and that's probably due to the fact he decided to stay rather aside of all the forumf stuff, and dramas. But on the field, he remains a terrible threat to deal with for his ennemis, landing headshots like it’s nothing, and being extremely hard to take down in melee, even though he is only crossbow or archer. I've this little impression LeRoux is waiting the final to give us a splendid performance, but only time will tell.

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CONCLUSION

This Sunday, we're gonna assist a warband lesson. After three months of intense battling, we're heading towards the Grand Final of the Warband Pro League. It's been my personal pleasure to accompany you throughout this wonderful journey, and I hope you've enjoyed reading those previews and reviews as much as I did writing them for you. But there is one thing that the talent of a pen can't exceed, and that's the art of war. My work stops where theirs begins. Less talking, more riding!

The match will be streamed by BladeCast_TV, starting this Sunday at 19:30 GMT. There will be a special pre-match talk starting 15 min before (19:15), and a post-match talk that I advise you not to miss, with Captain-Lust, Viktor and myself and possibly a mysterious guest. Captain Lust and IronHawk will be casting the match.




    » More than just the cash prize - which is the biggest we had on warband since the birth of the competitive scene - and the fame which goes with being the best EU team of the WPL, this match is  also a story of old rivalry, not always that friendly, between two titans of the scene. Random Potatoes isn't really old, yet through them live the memories of KURWA and Freelancers, two of the few teams among many who managed to take down the 'Kings', placing themselves on an equal footing as AE. Any of Random players want to prove the whole scene that they're the 'True Champions' of warband. But AE hasn't a story of sharing. The game is old, and even if Bannerlord takes its damn time, this might truly be one of the last warband tournaments, besides the Nation Cups. Those guys have been playing the game for 7 years for most of them. They have became close to a family, and they're not going down without a fight, that you can be sure of. For what they have accomplished and are yet to accomplish, for the values of competitiveness, teamplay and self-improvement these two clans carry, they deserve our respect. Like them or hate them, that's up to anyone. But no one can deny that they're part of the reason we play this game. What we try to aim for. We might never become close to an E-Sport scene, for many reasons, but at least can we proudly say we’ve got the mindset and the players for it.«


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MATCH BROUGHT TO YOU BY @BLADECAST_TV, ARTICLE WRITTEN BY @TARDEEET, PROOFREAD BY @JARVISANDPI,  DESIGN BY SCAR
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Looking at the map lit by candlelight, Rayden was letting his imagination float. He had never been closer to his goal than now and it was as if he could feel the presence of his enemies nearby, somewhere in the mountains surrounding the small abbey. In a corner of the room, the priest was terribly shaking, trying his best not to look in his direction. Rayden got closer to him, and showing him the paper, he asked:

"So, you’re sure they can’t be anywhere but the places you mentioned?"

Through his fear, the priest managed a strained gulp..

"Yes, milord. Those are the only two places in this region where they’ve been seen recently. The Fort of Honor, a small abandoned fortification down in the valley. And FrostHaven, a nearby village at the top of the mountain."

Rayden slightly acquiesced as he was moving towards the door.

"But listen to me, milord, don’t go there. Whatever you’re looking for, you won’t find it."

Rayden didn’t listen to him and started going down the stairs. He arrived in a little courtyard where a dozen riders were patiently waiting for him.
Gathering what courage he had left, the priest who had been with him since the beginning followed again.

"You must believe me. The last group of warriors who ventured into the mountains never came back."

As he was getting on his horse, Rayden stopped and slowly turned towards the priest with a smirk. "Do we look like any of them?" he asked while pointing his fingers towards the group of horsemen.

"I beg your pardon" said the priest while falling to his knees. "Of course, you don’t!"

As he pulled his sword out, Rayden shouted loudly to his men: "What do we say to the God of Death?"

"Not today!" replied the group in chorus.

Rayden approached the priest and affectionately put his right hand on the priest’s shoulder. "You see little man? I’ve no reason to be worried."
And as he was speaking, he put his sword through the priest's chest.
"And neither do you."

A while after the riders had left the abbey, the priest corpse was still kneeling on the floor, a large stain of blood spreading on his white robe, and a look of terror on his face.

***

Somewhere in the mountains, M was perched on a peak, silently looking at the neighboring valleys. After a while she started catching the sight of a dozen torches, slowly moving in the darkness.
She slightly quivered and whispered aloud:
"They’re coming."

Breaking the calm of the night, a dozen swords were simultaneously unsheathed in the dark. Then it was nothing but pure silence.

Before the storm. Before the chaos.

Big thanks for Jarvis for the amazing work with the preview proof-reading, and Prime for the little RP one.

We're getting to it boys.
 
Gorlock said:
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Way to spoil the match tardet...

With Cal and Arys away at the moment we did this, I was kinda forced to pick one .. Now my faith is in AE to break the curse.

And thanks everyone for the positive comments.
 
Great preview , great match , great community , great players Rempica too( Even if he trash talk to me for no reason still like him ).

Overall hope we will see this same things in bannerlord too !
 
@John, always knew you had my back friend.

@Varadin Not so sure about Rempica, that's putting compliments a bit far, but rest is right :wink:
 
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